Module Three WWW Standards

Website Development Tips

Few ppl read all of a websites, word by word.
Some ways to ensure a website is most effective in relaying information are:

• Highlighting key words or phrases: When highlighting words, use words that match the users search queries. Make sure the words are precise and familiar. Old words are words that ppl have a familiar association to. If you have to use a new term, supplement it with an ‘old word’.
• Macro content = 40-60 characters to explain your website using the rules of old words and ruthless editing and no fluffy political correctness or embellishments.
• Call a spade a spade, don’t embellish the truth. Supplement brand names with generic terms. Avoid “politically correct’ terms.
• meaningfull sub headings (not “cleva” ones)
• bulleted lists
• one idea per paragraph
• a lower word count
• credibility that can be easily validated (like a link to the authors bio)
• other credibility links so the reader can scan through them. This shows the author of the site has researched their topic well.
• Good quality images and good economical writing
• Avoid exaggeration or ‘marketing”. Always show numbers as numerals. Eg: 2 instead of 'two'. It's easier to read and 'feels' quicker.
• If you included detailed research results, give the reader a brief description and put the complete results on a link. This way the user can decide how much they want to know.
• Research suggests ‘F’ shaped text is more often read than the conventional ‘heading, paragraph, paragraph,” format. The “F” shape text is two short horizontal text lines followed by a vertical text line. According to this theory, the reader will scan the left side of the page more than anywhere else. Using sub headings, paragraph titles and highlighted key words placed in this area will make your text more likely to be read. The first two words are read more frequently than any others. The first word is the most important so make it an information carrying word.
• State the most important information in the first two paragraphs.
• If writing for teen keep the text simple (but not childish) and include interactive features as teens tend to become bored more easily than adults. With any specific demographic, research your audience.
• The intro (or “blah blah blurb”) is often to long and skipped by most readers who are looking fr more “actionable’ text like bullet lists, prices or links.
  The worst kind of intro has no purpose. Eg: “welcome to our site we hope you find it__” Kill the welcome mat and cut to the chase. Readers want to get their issue addressed asap and move on. Anything that doesn’t lend itself to this purpose shouldn’t be included. Nothing fluffy or feel good needs to be included in the intro. The intro and the whole site require ruthless text editing. The intro need only establish what the site is about and if necessary put it into context. Excessive word counts make ppl less interested in looking further.
• A tag line explains what the company or website author is about. Two question to ask in developing good tag lines are: Would it work just as well for a competitor? Would another company claim the opposite?
  “Search the largest inventory of cars and trucks on the Internet. More than 1.5 million listings, updated daily."
  This is an example of a good tag line. Readers can quickly establish what the site is and does.
• Traditional writing guidelines are clear on the use of passive voice:
  Worst: The passive voice should be avoided.
  Bad: The passive voice should be avoided by writers.
  Better: Writers should avoid using passive voice.
  Best: Writers should use active voice.

Writing Tips in a Passive Voice (as cited in www.useit.com)

When structuring a sentence, active voice ("Actor does X to Object") is usually better than passive voice ("Object has X done to it by Actor") because it more directly represents the action. As a result, readers don't have to jump through as many cognitive hoops when trying to understand what's going on.
For the same reason, it's usually better to write a positive statement ("do X") than a negative statement ("avoid Y"), and it's almost always horrible to use double negatives ("avoid not doing X"). Again, the simpler the translation between the text and the user's mental model, the easier the writing is to understand.
Typically, it's even harder for readers to understand passive sentences that don't explicitly state the actor. This style can also lead to additional usability problems if users misinterpret who's doing the action. For example, if you write, "Social security taxes must be paid monthly" readers might think that employees have to pay the tax. In contrast, "Employers must pay social security taxes monthly" is clear and easy to read.
Usability increases when users need fewer mental transformations to convert a sentence into actionable understanding (what they should or could do to address their issue)
The easier the writing is to understand, the more likely customers are to plough through your words. Users don't like doing hard work. That is, users prefer effortless reading (to state it positively, and thus improve readability).

WWW Standards Optonal Task:

Make a summary of what you believe are the 5 most important ‘rules’ for writing online.

1. Write well: Too much text information will not encourage a reader to continue reading thru your site to find the information they seek. Research suggests most reader’s skim through websites. When choosing text for the website make sure all text is relevant, necessary and well written using familiar words everyone will relate to. Use highlighted key words or phrases, headings and ruthless editing.

2. Remember the purpose of the site: A website visitor wants to resolve their issue absolutely ASAP. Everything written/added to the website should cater to this need. Anything else should be edited out.

3. A good tag line: 40-60 characters explaining how this website is going to help a reader achieve resolve ASAP.

4. Research: There is an abundance of research available regarding how to write for a website. Also research should be carried out on the demographic the website aims to attract.

5. Be honest: Online readers are discerning enough to know (or eventually find out) if a website is offering what it says it does. Don’t embellish or add any annoying ‘teaser’.

Concept: Communication and Information Are Related

Key Focus Points:

• An electronic communication is made up of the original source of the message and it’s destination, the act of communicating and the item of information communicated.
• Saving electronic communication is automatic and usually requires little effort or thought on the part of the reader.
• Good organisation is the key to best utilising electronic asynchronous communications (such as emails)

Concept: Cyberspace is Informationally Created Space

Key Focus Points:

• Humans create a type of “imagined physical space” online through MMORPG’s, detailing physical acts in online chats and IM’s (like touching another user or handing them something etc) even having “cyber’ sex.

Legal Issues

Have you used images or words on your web page or website that contravene copyright laws?

I'm not sure which website these questions refer to?? If it is re: the index.html test page done on the html tutorial, this is a straight copy from that tutorial. From the information I read, it has not breached any copyright law. The only additions I made were text additions using my own words. HTMLdog.com suggested adding their logo to this 'test page' there by giving their permission.

My blog has possibly breached copyright because I honestly dont know where the pretty picture at the top came from. I own the copyright to the picture below and the text is my own. Wherever I have used direct quotes, I've cited where they are from.

Would you be in breach of copyright if you put the Curtin logo at the top of your web page for an assignment?

No, if the student follows the assignment instructions and doesn't alter the logo. It would fall under 'fair use". In this situation, the Curtin logo would only be used as part of a Curtin students test web page which is part of the units cirriculum. The nature (academic), relative amount (minimal and of a quality established by Curtin, unless the student alters the logo) and market value (nil) are all 'fair' and present no harm to Curtin University. The only area that could potentially be harmful is 'purpose". As stated in www.benedict.com/info/FairUse if the student adds to or changes the logo, copyright could be infringed on the basis that it's value would then be different to its intended value.

Assignment One Debrief

Description

I prepared an Annotated Bibliography for 'Being an Advanced Internet User'. Each annotation refered back to the module work and the concepts mentioned within the modules. I presented it as a blog. The assignment and reference list were required to be in APA format.
I did this - my blog did not.

Concerns

The fact that my final assignment blog reformatted itself (really an issue when part of the assignment was a reference list in APA format) has seared itself into my memory vapourizing any other concerns. It was just awful to have to let it go as it was after soooooooooooooooooooooooooo much effort (ran out of time. I literally submitted it with minutes to spare) I've never had such a complete and all encompassing disaster in an assignment ever. For god sake, I'm "in-the- 80%-&-over" kind of girl.

So, needless to say, I did not resolve the formatting issue. I have various theories as to why this happened: what I cut/paste from my word doc took formating with it into the blog but I cleared the blog and deleted EVERYTHING and started again. It still reformated.

Obviously, I should have "blogged it" ALOT earlier. I only gave myself two and a bit days to pretty-up the blog. If I had a day or two more, I probably could have overcome my formating drama-rama.

The other issue was submitting via the drop box with coversheet. I miss read the instructions. My brain was clouded with this formating nightmare and I missed the coversheet (ironically I even asked about which cover sheet to use and STILL screwed it up).
I know the lesson here: s l o w d o w n . . . .

Evaluation and Analysis

It was suggested that we collect references early in the unit for this assignment so I just had to collate them and fix my blurb. They were already attached to the module they related to and I had already done a quick blurb. The one issue I had is that it was a bit pre-mature. I spoke to a few other student who felt the same way. Alot of us had not completed all of module 4, even some of three, so I know at least one of my annotated ref's is a bit sus (the html ref). I just hadn't completed the task work (I'm sticking to juggling two units and the great computer meltdown of 07 for my lapse). The task work in Module four would have been very useful to have completed before this assignment.

Conclusion

This is my conclusion for all assignments I have ever done

You Can Never Start Too Early

I always start on my assignment work asap. It's never early enough. There could always be improvements. This was a tricky one because it didn't allow for any lapse in unit work (fair enough really).
My conclusion for the submitting fiasco is, once again

S l o w D o w n & R e a d E v e r y t h i n g P r o p e r l y

Amen

As for the sequence of assignments/unit/task work, the tasks in module four should have come earlier (module three maybe??) although I can see thata certain amount of knowledge needs to be gained before taking on the Tasks in Module Four. I understand the sequence. It just doesn't allow at all for lagging students like me.

Module Three HTML Task

Description

I completed the test page and uploaded it onto the webct presentations page. I also played with the html a bit to change some text mostly but also tried different links and images with mixed results.

Concerns

I had two.

Problems:
1. Uploading my test web page onto the uni webct presentations page.
2. Being able to change the image within the test page.
Solutions:
1.The solution to uploadin to the presentations page lay in the DB. Robert saved my ass once again and doesn't even know it. I saved my test web page as webtest.html. It should have been index.html. Once I saved it correctly I uploaded it no problem.


Evaluation

I enjoyed the tutorials and made up a "html explained" word doc (incl. aa the end of this post) with the information I gathered. Both tutorials were really good. I didn't care much for the text in the web test page so I changed it (I know it must be hard to put something in there that is "fun" but inoffensive across the board...I apprecaitte the effort. I changed the text mostly so I could confirm the lessons I learnt to make sure I understood them correctly.

It could be my 'beginner advanced" knowledge (or lack there of) but it seems to me that the uploading of the index.html file, like the assignment upload, could be better executed. I was exhausted and frustrated with the blog formatting fiasco (see assignemt one post...see assignemt one for that matter!!) but still, it seemed confusing to many other students too, the way in which information is submitted to the uni. Maybe online education is in it's formation too and I should just cut it a break and stop my whining.

Analysis

I was sure html/website development was a huge clique that I would never comprehend. I'm all turned around on that one. This excercise was an instant gratifier - type it in and bingo! u gota web page :)) I love it. From the tutorials, I gather there is alot more to learn about html/xhtml - what's "done" and "not done", the new trends and versions etc but I feel well equipped to start really understanding html. All good :))

Conclusion

Before this task, I thought html was simply a rich text setting. The applications for understanding html well enough to write up a simple web site are very broad, from setting up my own website to helping others set up theirs to learning more so I can produce better web sites. Understanding html is essential as it seems all websites are based on it.

Concept: Paradox of The World Wide Web

Key Focus Points

• Humans create a type of “imagined physical space” online through MMORPG’s, detailing physical acts in online chats and IM’s (like touching another user or handing them something etc) even having “cyber’ sex.
  

Concept: The Relationship of Data to Meta Data

Key Focus Points

• Meta data is descriptive data. Meta data can be manipulated to assist internet users in organising and processing incoming dtata.
• The process of manipulating meta data ( by sorting, annotating, copying and resorting) results in making the data one’s own.
  

Module Two Completed

Unit Work

Description

I've completed this unit except for the newsgroup exercise but I will get it done. I'm finalising an assignment for another unit at the moment and have fallen behind a little as a result.

Concerns

Within the unit work I have few concerns except perhaps that I have fallen behind somewhat.
I've gone into great detail about newsgroup earlier in this blog so I wont go on here except to say it ate up a fair bit of time. Also juggling two units for the first time needs a little fine tuning.

Evaluation & Analysis

I learned so much in this module. My email has a newly implemented organisation system derived from learning about manipulation of meta data to save me time in searching for messages. I noticed that I am more aware of how I use search engines - I discriminate more with the words I use (being aware now of how meta data can be manipulated to attract searchers) and am braver in using advanced search options I'd never have bothered with before because I didn't know how they worked or whether they would achieve different results.
I'm starting to see all that I have learned being implemented into my daily use of the Internet.
Also. during this module, I got to chat real time with other students during the ICQ task. That was a great experience because in a real time chat I picked up on elements of their character and got to know them a little better and share some achievements and concerns with them.
The low point of this module was the newsgroup task about which I have said enough.

I also need to manage my time between units more effectively. It seems once something is near due date in one unit, the other suffers. I'm sure this is normal but I need to shave off about a week of "lagging behind" time on one while attending to the other.

Conclusion

If I did this module over again, I wouldn't spend so much time on the newsgroup task. I'd have left it til later (which I've done anyway) and attempted it again with more greater skills, a better understanding and a fresh approach.
I have already applied the knowledge I have gained on email filters and meta data as well as learning about some new real time chat programs and IM managers. I've established a better understanding of some of my fellow students and feel more comfortable reaching out if I needed to.
As for juggling the two units, I just need to devote some time to both regardless of what is due in one. This is easier said than done! I'll get there. It's only my third unit in this degree.
Overall, this was lots of fun and very valuable in the information it provided.

Assignment One, Annoted Bibliography Guidelines

I developed the following assignment guidelines to assist me in preparing this assignment.

Assignment 1, Annoted Bibliography

Description

Develop an annotated bank of resources and tips on ‘Being an advanced Internet User’. The final version must be presented as an electronic source – either a web site or a blog.

What is an Annoted Bibliography?

An annotated bibliography is a list of citations to books, articles, and documents. Each citation is followed by a brief (usually about 150 words) descriptive and evaluative paragraph, the annotation. The purpose of the annotation is to inform the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources cited.

Tips

• The URL provided to reach that format must be a direct link.
  


• The resources (helpful sites) you should include or record in preparation for assignment one are to be of a helpful nature to someone undertaking this unit. You are not limited in any way to skills or software-based sites. In fact, you are encouraged to provide resources that might help someone with the conceptual nature of the information provided in the curriculum.
  Example: have you come a cross a site that critiques information ecologies?
  Or a site that considers the possibilities of human computer interface?
  


• Make one sentence or so available at the end of your annotation to
  mention one of the concepts you think is relevant to that source, state why.
  


• Annotations include a summary and evaluation of a source - these ones
  should be at least 200-250 words each in length
  


• Avoid "lists" the summary should be in your own words.
  


• You should not be quoting in your annotation - you have limited word
  space so use it wisely.
  


• Worry more about the content than the navigation of how it is presented
  - too much navigation can be difficult for reading!
  


• Most importantly read the example link provided in the
  assessment details.
  


• This assignment is designed to both put in practice the skills you have developed in searching for and evaluating information online; and to demonstrate your understandings of how best to communicate and make information meaningful online.
  


• For each of the modules 1-4 you will list at least two sites (not from the course readings), which you think provide further valuable information or resources to assist in completing that topic. (Or indeed information on a topic or subject that you feel has been omitted).
  

You should also provide an annotation for each site in your own words that does not merely summarise the information available, but states how and why this site might be useful. For each resource, identify (where possible) which 'concept' or concepts they relate to or illustrate. (This encourages you to start reading and thinking about the concepts document in preparation for your final assignment.)

Starting points

1.Decide on your format.

2. Collect your sources. These can take a number of forms:
Whole websites (such as howstuffworks.com) - however make sure the site, as a whole is relevant. Don't refer to magazine/newspaper site (eg Wired) if it contains useful articles, for example; or blogs articles from online magazines, newspapers or journals (you may also include articles that are available through library databases that can be accessed electronically)

3.Read and investigate each of your sources carefully, putting into practice the search and evaluation methods you have been practicing. Make notes as you go along. Refer also to the concepts document as you read and analyse your sites (hint: follow the links to specific concepts listed in each module. However feel free to refer to any concepts you think appropriate).

4.Write the annotations for each source, keeping in mind what you have been learning about the most effective technical and stylistic presentation of content.

5.Your annotations should state in your own words what information the source provides, perhaps comment on the authority and validity of the source, and clearly state how the source is useful. Where appropriate, state which concept/s the source relates to or illustrates. You should also provide full bibliographic details for each source, not just the URL (our faculty uses APA referencing, however you may use another reference style as long as you are consistent)

6. Decide on the structure of your final site/blog and begin adding content

Submission

Your report should be submitted electronically through the assignments drop box, giving the URL of your finished site or blog.

Example (in APA format)

Waite, L. J., Goldschneider, F. K., & Witsberger, C. (1986). Nonfamily living and
the erosion of traditional family orientations among young adults. American Sociological Review, 51, 541-554.

The authors, researchers at the Rand Corporation and Brown University, use data from the National Longitudinal Surveys of Young Women and Young Men to test their hypothesis that nonfamily living by young adults alters their attitudes, values, plans, and expectations, moving them away from their belief in traditional sex roles. They find their hypothesis strongly supported in young females, while the effects were fewer in studies of young males. Increasing the time away from parents before marrying increased individualism, self-sufficiency, and changes in attitudes about families. In contrast, an earlier study by Williams cited below shows no significant gender differences in sex role attitudes as a result of nonfamily living.

Module Two: Email Lists Task

What are the pros and cons of email lists versus discussion boards?

DB seem more accessible to me than email lists. The speed of reply is faster on DB's. Topics are easier to scan. Email lists take some time to show your topic posting. Whereas Db's are instant (or require you to refresh your browser). The Internet affords its users alot of time saving features. As many statistics show, users want their desires or requirements met ASAP. DB see to do this much more effectively than email lists.

As a student, thie unit DB has been invaluable to me in answering questions or getting me 'unstuck' so I could move on at any hour of the day. It makes available archived messages at a glance and a click. I guess email lists could do this to. I dont think many ppl would use their personal email address for an email list so by the time you log in then find the topic you're after, a DB could have answered several questions. That's just what I think. I could be way off like I was with newsgroups (well not way off....they are a bit....draconian)

Are there certain kinds of communication or purposes more suited to one than the other?

I dont see an email list being as useful a tool as a DB for student in our position (for the reasons listed above). Perhaps email lists are useful for private groups...trying to think of an example that doesn't involve porn......a group that requires membership, perhaps a subscription to a journal where the subscribers want to discuss journal issues.

Module Two Email Task

1. What information about a user's email, the origin of a message, and the path it took, can you glean from an email message?

Email messages can contain the following information:

• Address of sender and recipient/s


• Subject.


• Date and time the message was sent.


• Message size.


• The user name and mail server of sender and recipient/s (in the address)


• The original author of the message.


• All recipients of the message if it is forwarded CC (carbon copy) to those recipients.


• Otherwise, the recipient marked as the BCC (blind carbon copy) recipient can not see all the addresses the message has been sent to. These recipients will see only themselves as sole recievers of the message.


• Can also contain a digital signature verifiying authenticity.
• I think it can also contain (in the meta data) the number of packets and their sizes.

2. In what cases would you find it useful to use the 'cc', 'bcc' and 'reply all functions of email?

CC would be useful if the sender wishes to forward a copy of a message to all members of a particular group such as fellow employees or interest groups.
Eg: I want to send the minutes of the weekly meeting to all members of my work place via an email. I would forward this email by "CCing" all fellow employee's.

BCC would be useful if the sender wanted to forward a copy of a message to many recipents and wanted a select one or few to be aware of the "bulk-forwarding" perhaps in order to keep private some recipients email details.
Eg: If I wanted to share information in an email I recieved without sharing their email details I would mark all recipients except the last as BCC.

Re BCC

Because I have never used BCC forwarding, I was initially unclear how to apply a BCC forward in an example. After discussing it with friends who use BCC in a proffessional capacity, I understood its application. It's quite easy if I think of it in terms of its name: 'blind carbon copy', a recipient of a BCC is recieving a blind carbon copy of the message - it's a copy that is 'blind' to its original source. Light bulb on!

3. In what ways can you ensure that an attachment you send will be easily opened by the receiver?

Firstly, if the attachment is text, including it in the body of the email message instead of as an attachment. It is easily received this way because it doesn't require an attachment to be opened. If it is not a text attachment, it will be formatted somehow and certain mail servers may not support that format. Keeping the formats simple will make the attachment smaller in size. For example JPEG image files are smaller than tiff. or gif. files. Sending large attachments without prior permission doesn't assist in ease of receipt as the recipient may not have broadband or may have a limited amount of download space which a large attachment will max out - not to mention it's a bit rude. If a large attachment must be sent, winzip or stuffit can be used to zip the file making it smaller to receive.
Smaller attachments are easier to receive for several reasons: they upload faster and the recipient wont use alot of download space.
Overall, it's a good idea in life and online, not to make assumptions-in this case, for ease of receipt of attachment, on the recipients computer capabilities and time.

4. What sorts of filters or rules do you have set up, and for what purpose?

"Notify me when important messages arrive" on normal importance setting for the key words "OUA" "Curtin" "Monash" "University". It notifies me with a lil banner saying "uni mail".

"Exception List" for junk mail and things I'm sick of but once were fun and now they wont go away. I've set these emails coloured grey and straight to the junk folder.

Because my email address is mainly for personal use, I have left the set up as it was when I got it apart from the above mentioned.

5. How have you organised the folder structure of your email and why?

My email folders are arranged into six sections:
1/ Social -Family and friends.
2/ Work - As well as work emails, this folder also includes emails from groups I participate in that are work related: YBI (youth business incentive), YSP (youth suicide prevention), YSN (youth service network), Police youth liasons officer etc.
3/ Uni- all emails from Curtin, Monash and students that have this address. Also included are any emails from uni-books and second hand textbook sites, HECS. I also have a sub-folder in this section for fellow students emails-these are cut and paste from my hotmail addy plus emails from the the few students that have this addy.
4/ Business - Banks, Tax office, RTA, utilities, broadband account, mobile phone etc.
5/My Groups - groups I subscribe to like quickflix, hotmail, YouTube, online mmorpg's, mirc, skype and my newsgroup etc
6/ Other - anything that doesn't fit into the above five groups. Also all groups I subscibe to initially go in here until I decide I really want to stick with them.

Within the folders, the emails are sorted by date because that is an easy way to see the most recent.

This is the way I have always set up my email folders. It seemed the most obvious and effective at the time. The email management information in this unit regarding the best ways to sort folders has made me consider that it's perhaps not the most efficient so this arrangement may change. My concern about changing the folder arrangement is potential confusion and time consumption searching for emails in a new system.

To start my new folder management system, I will re-sort the emails within each folder alphabetically to group them in name. This is an easy change to make and good place to start a more efficient system.